1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to decrimping tools and, more particularly, to a powered decrimping tool for unfolding the flange of an automobile door skin panel from an existing door shell, as well as for decrimping other irregularly shaped parts.
2. Background Information
Auto body repair often involves replacement of a panel or “skin” from a portion of the vehicle. For example, a vehicle door has a frame with an inner, upholstered panel and an outer, metal panel that is painted. Damage to the door outer panel can be repaired without replacement of the whole door. The door outer panel is fastened to the door frame by crimping the edge of the outer panel over the edge of the door frame and by an adhesive applied before crimping. Once the outer panel is removed, a new replacement panel is secured to the door frame by applying an adhesive and crimping the replacement panel edge around the door frame.
One of the applicants has invented an auto body crimping tool designed to quickly crimp a replacement panel to a vehicle door frame or similar vehicle body location. The crimping tool is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,404, issued Jun. 17, 2003, and is hereby incorporated by reference.
Removal of an auto body panel is no small task and care must be taken not to damage the supporting frame or mar the finish of adjacent, undamaged panels. Some tools for removing auto body panels have been granted patents. These include U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,536 by Kohut; U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,209 by DeMaagd; U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,753 by Willett; U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,024 by Staquet; U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,729 by Hughes et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,406 by Staquet; U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,495 by Gerhards; U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,958 by Staquet; U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,385 by Trueit et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,107,660 by Staquet. However, there exists an unmet need for a tool that can quickly and easily remove an auto body panel without damaging the auto body frame or adjacent exterior or interior panels. Applicants have devised an auto body decrimping tool that fulfills this unmet need.